Day of the Dead in a van in the UK

Travelling has been bittersweet. You have to be in certain places to experience certain things; new people, culture, architecture. Lifelong friends and deep kin connections in one hemisphere, and yourself, located in the other. I have found it can be easy to feel isolated, even in a full house or the crowded streets of a large city. 

Dia de los Meurtos is deeply connecting. Everyone misses their dead. Is it one of the few commonalities we all share?  Transgressing age, socioeconomic status, gender, race…our loved ones die, and we miss them.

It is grounding to spend a few days in reflection and contemplation of lost friends and family. Autumn is here and the dark days of winter are just around the corner but October and the start of November has been filled with colours, crafting successes, warmth, food, candle light, drawing calaveras and memories. I posted previously about bits and pieces of what I was making, you should be able to view that post in full here.

NB; I failed to post this when I was supposed to, instead I spent most of November alternating between preparation and panic for our upcoming travels. Now that time is here, and I have come a full circle back to contemplating ups and downs of lives, loves and losses. This newfound quiet time is as good a time as any to post photos of our sweet, tiny home at maximum fire threat! Paper-plus-candles is a terrible idea when it all goes wrong, but while it is good it is so so good….

Monarch butterfly hats day of the dead
Waiting for the glue to dry
Glass tea light shrine day of the dead
The tea candle lanterns
Calaveras monarch butterflies day of the dead celebration
Calavera and the butterfly
Day of the dead shrine crafts skull butterflies
Because of course we did
Travelling day of the dead shrine boondocking
Reflection, memories and love
Skull face painted dia de los muertos
Full face paint fierceness
Monarch butterfly top hat costume
I met this guy at a crossroads at midnight he seemed pretty cool
Couple Bath gin bar day of the dead costume
‘Til death do we party
Shadow silouette couple park ghostly photography
The eerie last photo from the camera the search party found